Soul Scribbles : Companioning Christ through Journaling

Theme : Here I Am

What is a Disciple?

In Mark 3: 13-19, Mark describes clearly what it is to be a disciple: it is a call to be Jesus’ companion and then to be sent out. The Lord wants us, first of all, to be his companions. He calls us to be with him as he is with us; this is the call to prayer. Then once we are his companions, he calls us to be sent out. From our prayerful companionship with the Lord we are sent out by him as his ambassadors, as people who witness to his values, his attitudes and his whole way of life.

What does it mean to be companions of Christ? From its beginning the church linked the desire for more of God to intentional practices, relationships and experiences that gave people space in their lives to “keep company” with Jesus. These intentional practices, relationships and experiences we now know as spiritual disciplines.

Spiritual Practices

We keep company with Jesus by making space for him through a spiritual discipline. Spiritual practices or disciplines don’t give us “spiritual brownie points”, they simply put us in a place where we can begin to notice God and respond to his word to us. Our part is to offer ourselves lovingly and obediently to God. God then works within us doing what he alone can do.

Our spiritual transformation or Metanoia comes from partnering with the Trinity for change. We bring our desire for change, our longing for belonging and our desire to make a difference. Spiritual practices exist to open us into God, they are never the “be all and end all” of discipleship. The “be all and end all” is a loving trust of and obedience to the God who is within us yet beyond us.

What to Expect

Based on the theme ‘Here I Am’, this 1-day contemplative workshop is designed to help participants to :

1. Experience three different spiritual practices  (Contemplative prayer, Examen and Vision Divina) to deepen their prayer
2. Keep company with Jesus  throughout the highs and lows of the day
3. Develop an awareness of God-given desires and invitations to prayer that God presents throughout the day
4. Recognise God’s presence in their experiences using silence, scripture, music, poetry and journaling.